Tejas Brothers a diverse blend

Band plays Saturday at Blaine's Pub

Contributed Photo Dave Perez and his Tejas Brothers bandmates will perform Saturday at Blaine’s Pub in San Angelo.

2011

What: The Tejas Brothers, live on stage

When: 10:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Blaine's Pub, 10 W. Harris Ave.

Cost: $5

Contact: blainespub.com or 325-653-7074

There are many forms of Texas music — Tejano, country, Texas country/red dirt or Southern rock, each with its own sound, — but artists often pull from the same inspirations.

The Tejas Brothers are no different, drawing inspiration from the Texas Tornadoes, Buck Owens and Roy Orbison, to name a few.

Members John Garza, Dave Perez, Derek Groves and Beau Johnson will bring their musically diverse sound to the stage at Blaine's Pub on Saturday.

"I think the thing about the Tejas Brothers, since the beginning, is while the great Doug Sahm and Freddie Fender were already around the scene long before us, we're helping to bring the rich musical diversity to the masses," Garza said.

"Sometimes when people hear us for the first time, they think it's new music if they've never heard the Texas Tornadoes. But we're not the first ones that introduced it to the masses; the ones before us did."

Being from Texas, Garza said, had ingrained the sounds of the rich Texas culture into the band's members.

"I think it happens organically," Garza said.

Garza was raised in Irving, the youngest of four children.

Although some of the Tejas Brothers' music uses Spanish words and phrases, Garza, like many Hispanics of his generation, grew up not speaking Spanish.

"My family blended with the culture of the times linguistically — not attitude, not frame of mind, however."

Garza said as a musician, knowing how to blend and be accepting of other sounds, cultures and people is beneficial as well.

He said the camaraderie that he and his bandmates share with other musicians add to the band's appeal.

He said he loves listening to other musicians, and even if their sound or lyrics aren't his style, he always can find something that highlights their talents and positive traits. Diversity, Garza said again, is the cornerstone of Texas music.

"Max Stallings is one of my favorite singers. He has great tunes, he writes great music. He adds diversity into his music. Eleven Hundred Springs are another favorite. They're more outlaw country. Mark David Manders plays Texas party music," Garza said. "But it's all cool and all familiar to us. That's one of the beautiful things about Texas music: It's like home to us.

"If you were to pick and look at every style of music, I'll bet you that there's someone from Texas that pioneered that genre.

"I think Texas has the advantage. You have the icons of Tex-Mex, the Tejano, Buck Owens, he was Texan, he's a huge influence on the Tejas Brothers. You have to be proud of it."